Following Jon Jones’ withdrawal from UFC 295, Islam Makhachev expressed his desire to fight at Madison Square Garden. The plan never materialized, but Makhachev continued to push for the opportunity. Even after defeating Dustin Poirier at UFC 302, he told the media at the press conference, “Honestly it’s my dream to fight in Madison Square Garden. Now I think the U.S. fans like me, because we show a good fight tonight. If they give me a chance to come back in Madison Square Garden, this is my dream, fighting in this arena.”
Fighters aim for MSG because of its rich history, the legacy it offers, and the electric energy that fans bring to the arena. Dubbed “The Mecca of Combat Sports,” MSG had become a significant pay-per-view attraction for the UFC. The last time Dana White and company visited the Garden was at UFC 309, where they amassed a gate of $16.6 million. While the financial benefits are significant, fighters primarily desire to fight at the Garden to boost their popularity in front of the iconic New York crowd.
Makhachev shared a similar sentiment. In a recent conversation with MMA Junkie, he said, “I asked Dana if we have some opportunity to fight in Madison Square Garden. It would be an honor for me to fight in the biggest arena for MMA and boxing. I want to hold my belt from the lightweight, but it’s not possible because if I fight with Della Maddalena in October or November. Then, in February, Ramadan is beginning, holding more than one year of the lightweight belt [without defending] is not what I want to do. It’s not respectful to all those.”
Now, UFC President Dana White has shared his thoughts on potentially hosting Makhachev’s welterweight title shot at MSG. During a recent conversation, when Helen Yee asked about the possibility of Makhachev facing Jack Della Maddalena at the New York venue, White responded, “100%. You know, it’s always special when you go into New York and go into the Garden. So, yeah. I think a fight like that would do well there.”
But do the welterweight champion’s thoughts align with those of the challenger? He sees the soon-to-be former lightweight champion as one of his most formidable opponents. However, facing him in front of a 20,000-strong crowd is an entirely different story.
Jack Della Maddalena expressed his opinion on fighting Islam Makhachev at MSG
Talking to ESPN regarding the iconic venue, the Australian welterweight champion said, “Madison Square Garden is a pretty iconic spot, I think that would be pretty cool. I’ve always wanted to fight there, I think it’s a big matchup, I think that would be the spot.” he acknowledged the greatness of the location. MSG hosted Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier, and even Conor McGregor. And that’s what attracted Della Maddalena. After all, it’s a great arena if he wants to take that #1 P4P spot.
Della Maddalena continued, “I’m pretty confident that Makhachev is the fight, so we’re just gonna, I guess, get into it. Maybe we’ll just get into it, start working on a game plan, start working the tools that will be needed to dismantle Islam. But I think that fight will be announced within the next two months, then we’ll have a day, and we hit go time.”
In a showdown that seems straight out of a Cold War flick, Islam Makhachev—the disciplined, Dagestani grappler cut from the same cloth as Khabib Nurmagomedov—faces off against the cool, methodical precision of Australia’s Jack Della Maddalena. Even though their accents and training camps are worlds apart, their drive for greatness comes together in the most legendary arena out there. Makhachev has a chance to prove his dominance extends beyond just the lightweight division. Della Maddalena is about to face off against the toughest grappler in MMA right now.
Now, Dana White has already confirmed the venue for Islam Makhachev vs. Jack Della Maddalena. All that remains is the official announcement of the bout. The Australian is aiming for the No. 1 pound-for-pound spot, while the Dagestani is chasing two-division champion status. But only time will tell who will realize their dream.
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